There have been a number of machines developed over the years for emptying rubbish bins. For example, domestic rubbish bins (often referred to as “wheelie bins”) are emptied into a rubbish truck using an apparatus that includes grippers that grip the bin and an articulated arm that is operated by hydraulics to lift the bin up and invert the rubbish bin. In modern day rubbish trucks, these arms are operated by the driver of the vehicle. The driver does not need to exit the rubbish truck in order to operate these arms. Accordingly, the driver is safely located well away from all moving parts of the bin lifting apparatus.
There have also been some other bin lifting apparatus developed for emptying rubbish bins into larger rubbish receptacles, such as dumpsters or skips. These apparatus are typically located adjacent to the larger rubbish receptacle. The rubbish bin is wheeled into or positioned on a support platform or is held in place by grabs under the lip of the bin. The bin lifting apparatus is then operated to lift the bin and to tilt or invert the bin so that the contents of the bin are emptied into the larger rubbish receptacle. These types of bin lifting apparatus are often found in factories and other workplaces. In order to improve the safety aspects of these bin lifting apparatus, it is typical to provide the bin lifting apparatus with a door or cage that must be closed after the rubbish bin has been positioned in the bin lifting apparatus. The apparatus will only operate once the door or cage has been closed. In this manner, the human operators of the bin lifting apparatus can position the rubbish bin in the lifting apparatus, step back from the lifting apparatus, close the door or cage and subsequently operate the bin lifting apparatus to lift the top of the bin above the level of the larger waste receptacle and then invert the bin so that the contents of the bin are emptied into larger waste receptacle.
In one such bin lifting apparatus known to the present applicant, the bin lifting apparatus includes a support that supports the rubbish bin to be emptied. A lifting apparatus, in the form of a chain drive, operates to lift the support (and also to lift the bin that is held in place on the support). A roller or other tracking device is mounted to the support. As the support is lifted by the lifting apparatus, the roller or other tracking device moves along a track. The track includes a generally vertical section and a goose neck or inverted U-shaped section. When the roller or other tracking apparatus enters the goose neck or inverted U-shaped section, the support (and the bin positioned on the support) starts to tilt and becomes inverted. This allows the contents of the rubbish bin to be emptied.
Although this bin lifting apparatus operates satisfactorily, the goose neck creates a pinch point, thereby causing potential occupational health and safety issues.
Throughout this specification the term “comprising” and its grammatical equivalents shall be taken to have an inclusive meaning unless the context of use indicates otherwise.
The present applicant does not concede that the prior art discussed in this specification forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia or elsewhere.